Friday 28 June 2013 00.07 EDT
First published on Friday 28 June 2013 00.07 EDT

Rabbitohs ripe for pluckin'

They're gettable this weekend, the Bunnies, because of the natural emotional comedown from Origin. Greg Inglis doesn't play two bad games in a row but he does have quiet ones after massive ones. Just two nights ago he had a blinder. And his wing man Nathan Merritt did not. If Canberra have any brains – and they do, their halves are good little go-getters – they will pepper Merritt's wing with all manner of bombardment. It's a pity one bit of kit isn't Blake Ferguson. But Canberra have played without drunken fools before, and will give Souths a mighty shake.

Warriors, come out to play-ay

The Kiwis are coming off a bye and are on a bigger roll than those idiots who chase cheese down a hill. They've won their last four straight, including fine victories over top-four teams the Roosters and Sea Eagles. They are going like the proverbial shower. Shaun Johnson is playing for fun and with freedom, his halves partner Thomas Leuluai is following suit, and Glen Fisiihai is making Kevin Locke sweat on the bench. Their forwards are making tackles and running about with the ball in one hand, smiling. The Broncs? Are a bad man's pants. You wouldn't back them with money you'd stolen from a deadly enemy. Warriors by 10.

Match of the round 1

The Cowboys play at 1300Smiles Stadium, and it's hard to get over the name of it. Are dentists running rugby league? Probably they are not. But it's a kooky name for a footy stadium. For anything. Could be just me. Sharks? Have good players in fair form, and appear to have shrugged off the "blackest day in Australian sport" by just playing rugby league. They're into sixth with one defeat in their past five. Toddy Carney looks mature, Wade Graham has high skill and they win more without Paul Gallen. The Cows? Still rely too much on Johnathan Thurston to tip them with any confidence. Plus they're 13th with one win in their past five, and that against the weirdo Dragons. Expect the Sharks to be 1300-smiling on Saturday night.

Match of the round 2

Chooks versus Sea Eagles? You beauty. The talking point is Jared Waerea-Hargreaves coming back after five weeks' suspension to play against the bloke whose jowels earned him the holiday: Tellytubby George Rose. Good times. And you can bet Rose and his pack of madmen led by Glenn Stewart and Anthony Watmough will hunt the big Kiwi like angry dogs going at a giant, prehistoric sheep, or something like it. Brent Kite, meanwhile, will just rumble up the guts at JWH, because he's a nice Christian boy and only hurts people within the rules. Good luck to him. Manly by 10.

Will there be blood?

Probably. As Paul Gallen says, no one goes out to get in a fight. But if they are wronged or a mate is wronged – even if they perceive they are wronged – rugby league players will take matters into their own hands. And those hands are often fists of fury. Maybe not fists of fury. But there is punching. For 108 years it has been the way of the jungle. Can David Smith change these leopards' spots just by saying they are not allowed to do it? Not straight away, I'd warrant. Players will punch on this weekend if there is the opportunity. And they will (probably) be sent from the field. And the game will be "in crisis" because league players and followers, if they are honest, will admit it: they like fighting.